Think About It: The Lassner Era Begins

Motivational
speaker Denis Waitley said "You must welcome change as the rule but not as your
ruler." Inspirational speaker Karen Kaiser Clark noted that "Life is change.
Growth is optional. Choose wisely". And noted speaker Robert Gallagher once
said, "Even if you fall on your face, you're still moving forward." Of course,
Gallagher also once said, "Change is inevitable- except from a vending
machine." Lots of profound statements about change.

So
what will it be for new University of Hawaii president David Lassner? Will he
be able to make landmark decisions and accomplish great things over the upcoming
years? Will he be able to convince a jaded legislature to free up the purse
strings and allow UH to run itself with some greater autonomy as it proves it
can? Will rundown buildings be fixed and become a source of pride again? Will
the athletics finally get some respect and be able to compete again for top
student-athletes? Will the superior academic work at UH being done in so many
areas get the respect it deserves?

The
topic of change has been mentioned quite a bit through the clunky process in
which Lassner was ultimately chosen as UH's new president. As a long-time insider
at UH, Lassner surely understands the intricacies of the bureaucratic system
and the pitfalls of trying to change people and systems stubbornly caught in a
cocoon or time warp that traditionally rewards and accepts status quo. Lassner
now deserves the opportunity to enhance greatness or at least remove the
specter of mediocrity as he moves UH forward on a number of fronts. That will
be both the challenge and the goal- but let's hope that those involved will
provide him a clear opportunity to do what he's been hired to do, without
inordinate, heavy-handed legislative interference, without Board of Regent
threats, and without stubborn refusal from those inside who simply accept the
system as it is. Think about it…